Design Wall Monday

This is what I am currently working on ...

 ... a co-worker is expecting her first baby in November. She has opted to not find out the gender of the baby until it is born.

I have had this cute vintage-looking book panel for a while, but no plans for it. This is right up her alley. She likes red and books and vintage-looking.

But, I wanted to make a quilt, not a book so I also bought a print that goes with the panel. I think I will use this as the backing.

Then when I found out we are planning a shower for her at work I decided I needed to get busy! I ordered some more fabric to go with it but 2 of the pieces haven't arrived. Guess they won't be going in the quilt.

So, anyway, there are 8 printed book blocks. I am trying to make this a useable size so I am adding in some pieced blocks. I am thinking the red word print for a border and the blue word print to fill in some of the space between blocks. The red and white print will be the binding.

Still have more to do. I want to get this on the frame and quilted this weekend since the shower is next Monday!

Why do I always wait until the last minute!?

To see what other people are doing, go here.

Design Wall Monday

Go to Judy's page, here, to see what others are working on.

I used to me in a quilt group that I loved before we moved 18 years ago. We met once a month in a member's home - different home every month. We chatted, we worked on our own projects, we ate, we planned our quilt shows and we encouraged and gave suggestions and advice to each other.

I have missed that. I found another group that I tried to fit in with, but it just wasn't the same.

I think I may have finally found a new group!

They meet once at month at a local library. They have quarterly retreats. They have show and tell. They chat and eat and encourage and give suggestions and advice to each other. They have fabric exchanges and block exchanges. I have been 3 times now and seem to fit in.

The first meeting I went to I was invited by my husband's godmother to just come see if I liked it. They showed their fabrics from the latest fabric exchange - batiks. Lovely fabrics.

 I did like it and went back to the next meeting. They were just finishing up their exchange - paper pieced blocks. Everyone showed there finished blocks. There was sign ups for the next fabric exchange - 30s fabrics - and the next block exchange - stars. Time to think about what star block you wanted to make and begin fabric selection.

The next meeting everyone showed the star they would make. 14 people have signed up. The next meeting - October 25 - we will show are block made up and start the passing of fabric. I am so excited.

Here is my fabric selection and star block. The pattern is from Quilter's Cache and is called Solomon's Star.

Design Wall Monday

Nothing new on my wall.

Got to see one of these last week. A full, double rainbow. It was beautiful!

Now that school is back in session I am usually too tired, frustrated and discouraged to work on anything. The group of students this year seems more unruly than previous years. But, I say that every year. I just keep telling myself it's only the beginning of week 3 and they are only 5.

Also, my son was home from school during Labor Day weekend. And, while I had planned to do some sewing, it just didn't happen. He shares one end of my sewing table. He sort of takes over that end, and more with his laptop, pop cans that he doesn't put in the recycle bin, etc. Rather than argue with him about cleaning up so I could sew I just let it go. Seemed easier.

On a rather fun note - I attended a hummingbird convention with my mom a few weeks ago. We learned lots about hummingbirds. I think they are so fun to watch. I have kept the feeder outside my MIL's window at the nursing home filled all summer. She and my FIL have enjoyed watching them come and go. I have 4 feeders out at my house now and see several around in the mornings and evenings. The liquid is down a little more every day so I know they are around even when I don't see them.

My mother had given me some hankies that belonged to one of my grandmothers. I finally did something with some of them. This is my kitchen window.

To see what others are up to go to Judy's blog here.

Design Wall Monday

To see what others are working on visit Judy's blog here....

I am still re-working the flower petals for the quilt for the new great-niece. I have taken out the one that was too light and the one with too many other colors. I have added some new pinks from my stash and then realized that I still needed some more.
I do think the flowers look better, except for the one on the top right. There are 2 petals in there that will need to come out. I think I need to stick with tone-on-tone fabrics.
It remains a work in progress.

Ignore the brown pinned up there beside the flower block. It is a piece I bought on-line that ended up not being the color I was expecting. I am sure it will get used in another project.

A while back to my stash I had added a 10" square pack - Tonga Treats - Sugar. LOVE the batiks in this one. I am thinking of using the Disappearing Hourglass from Missouri Star Quilt Co. using black as the background.

I also added a charm pack a - Moda Honeysweet. Then I realized I really don't know what to do with it. Having never used a charm pack before I soon realized that I didn't have a plan and that 1 pack was probably not enough.

 

So today I added 2 new books to my library - 3 Times the Charm Book Two by Me and My Sister Designs and another Bite of SCHNiBBLES by Carrie Nelson.
There are some cute designs in both that I will probably use with some of my stash after I decide which one to use the Honeysweet charm pack with.

One of the things I really like about another Bite of ScCHNiBBLES is that for each design she gives instructions for a larger quilt using 10" layer cakes AND a smaller quilt using 5" charm packs.

Thursday I go back to work starting with 2 days of staff meetings before students return to school on Monday. I cannot believe how fast this summer has gone. It didn't help that my son had a health issue that had us questioning if he would be able to return to school on time and if I would be able to work full days or at all for a few more weeks. For the last month he was receiving daily antibiotic infusions at the local hospital. This took up a good part of the morning...every morning. Also weekly doctor appointments and twice weekly visits from the local home health care nurses. Lots of hurry up and wait for me and having to be around since we weren't always sure when the nurses would come. But, it all worked out, the infusions ended on Friday and he moved into  his studio apartment at school yesterday. He attends a school for visually impaired students. This is his second year. Besides classroom learning, he will be learning life skills that will help him transition into the workplace and community. He wasn't quite ready to head back into the classroom, but I know that he will soon be happy to be spending time with the friends he has made there. I am not quite ready to be back to work/school either.

Design Wall Monday

To see what others are working on visit Patchwork Times here.


I have started a new project.

Did I finish the ones I posted about last time? NO... my frame still has other stuff on it.

Anyway, we will be getting a new great-niece in November so I thought I better get started on her quilt.

The pattern is Sunflower Patch from
The Quilter Magazine November 2008.
I marked this pattern as one I wanted to make back then. I really like sunflowers and the colors in this runner. I have never gotten around to making it for myself, but I thought it would be easy to adjust the size into a baby quilt and change to colors to be more feminine. I am using mostly batiks in shades of pink, the dark green for the leaves, the medium and light greens are for the 4-patches and a turquoise to replace the red. I haven't decided what I am using for the flower centers yet.

 

Here are the first 2 blocks. I am undecided about 2 of the fabrics. One seems too light and the other has some yellows and greens in it. It just doesn't seem to fit well with the other fabrics.

I chose the turquoise because I really like that color and it goes nicely with the pinks. Also it is one of the colors in the backing. This is a lovely, soft minky type fabric. I like to use this type of fabric on the back of baby/kids quilts. I think it just makes them so cuddly.

Design Wall Monday

To see what others are doing, go here....http://www.patchworktimes.com/

I have been working on

This baby quilt.
The border is on,
the backing is pieced
and it is ready to quilt.
Unfortunately, my frame is covered with fabric,
photos and other miscellaneous stuff right now.



I pieced the backing using leftover pieces from the front.

My husband and son are not crazy aboutthis quilt, but they both agreed they like it a little bit better now that they have seen it all put together.

I have been following along with
soscrappy's Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2014.

By following along, I mean that I check her
blog every few days keeping track of the color
being used each month and seeing what every
one else is doing.
I finally decided on a block to use. It is a

Bonnie Hunter pattern - Jack in the Box - that was in QuiltMaker magazine. I plan on make 8 blocks in each color. I have all the blue cut for January -yeah, I know, January was a loooonnnggg time ago. I have also cut all the color for the February and some of the colors for some of the other months.





I have been really trying to go through my stuff and reorganize and declutter.
It is hard!

I found this project. It is from QuiltMaker #83 - 2002.

It was a mystery published in 3 issues. I had never done a mystery before and thought it might be fun. So I picked out fabric and did the first clue. Then I got busy and didn't get the next clue done. When the 3rd and final clue came out I wasn't sure I liked the finished quilt.
It got put away and forgotten about until I unearthed it in my recent decluttering attempts. I still am not sure I like it, but I decided to put it together and use it for a gift or donation.
In putting it together I somehow turned some of the half square triangle blocks. At that point I almost threw the whole thing away, but my husband thought he kind of liked it. I fixed the pieces turned the wrong way. So now it just needs the inner and outer border. I have all the parts including the backing and binding.
I guess this will be next on the frame - if I ever get the frame uncovered.

I am not very motivated- the last few weeks have been a bit stressful for me.
My son has been battling a minor health issue since October. It turned a little more serious at the end of May and became much more serious about 2 weeks ago.
He was being treated by a doctor in the town where he attends school. That clinic referred us to a clinic locally. That doctor had been seeing him weekly since the end of May. She went on vacation and another doctor filled in for her, changing the treatment and ordering a test. Then my son had an emergency situation that was mostly unrelated to the issue he was being treated for. The ER department referred us to yet a different doctor for the original issue. He is now receiving daily antibiotics through a PICC line and having weekly doctor appointments with the new doctor.

In the midst of all this my mother-in-law who is in a nursing home had an emergency situation. I had only been home from the hospital after my son's treatment when the nursing home called saying MIL needed to go to the ER. She is fine, but that turned into a long night of testing and waiting on results. They finally admitted her and she went back to the nursing home late the next day.

My son's issue is going to impact him going back to school and my job since he will need daily infusions for the few weeks. The whole process takes most of the morning. I am waiting until after tomorrow's appointment with the doctor to discuss this with his school and my employer which is the local elementary school.

I started out last school year spending two weeks with my mother-in-law at the hospital following her fall/broken hip/head trauma/stroke. This year I will be dealing with my son's health issues.

I am not sure how much more of this I can handle. Thank goodness the nursing staff doesn't mind me bringing my knitting and other handwork along while the infusion is being done.

Being Tested on Tuesday

I love my son, but, boy does he drive me crazy!

He likes to talk to me. Not when I have time for a conversation, but when I am in the middle of something else. Like when I am in another room... with noise from other things going on... like water running, or the dishwasher working, or washing machine spinning... or the TV is on... or... well, you get the picture. Then he gets mad when I don't respond because I didn't hear him or I have to go to him and ask him what he said because I can hear that he is talking but not what he is saying. GGRRR.

Or, he wants me to do things for him that he can do himself. I just brought me his laundry. Piled it all on the floor by the basement stairs. I went to his room and got his lovely laundry basket that is on wheels so it easier for him to push/pull and told him to put his clothes in that. I would have him to his own laundry but our washer and dryer are in the basement and his wheelchair doesn't do stairs.

Or, he expects me to drop whatever I am doing, not matter what, and take care of whatever he wants or needs at that moment. And, he isn't shy about letting me know that he is unhappy about it if I don't.

On a more positive note this is what I have been doing lately.






I have added the piping to the blocks for In a Pickle.

I have been hand quilting this lovely old top. A friend and co-worker asked me - well, I volunteered - to quilt it. It was made by her grandmother.








Made a paracord wrist band for my son. This is the Shark Jaw pattern.













Working on a baby boy quilt that I planned to give to a new great-nephew arriving in October. But... my husband and son don't like it much. I am going to finish it anyway and maybe enter it in the county fair next year.






And, speaking of the fair, I entered 2 quilts and a knitted infinity scarf.


2nd Place

I got a 1st and a 2nd with the quilts...

1st Place

 

and a 1st with the scarf.

 

 

Design Wall Monday

To see what others are doing go here...

I had a wonderful few days of celebration for the 4th of July. My son and I always stay with my youngest brother and his family. They are so nice to be around. I took my son down on Monday and came back home. That way we got to have some guy time with my brother. They sighted in his shotgun and crossbow to get ready for hunting season. I went back on Thursday. My sis-in-law and I spent the afternoon thrifting. We each got a few things. It is so fun to see what other people no longer want and to see things we remember having as kids. I saw a few older sewing machines but didn't think to take pictures.
My parents met us at the house later that afternoon.

On Friday more my mom, my niece, her boyfriend and myself decided we liked the nice cool breeze on the porch and opted to not go to the parade with the others. It was a beautiful day. Later more people came, we had good food, good conversations and good times.

Back at home and back to sewing now.
This project is not on the design wall yet, but it is getting there.

 

It is paper pieced. I love the batik fabrics. I enjoy paper pieced patterns.

It just seems like it takes a long time to get them put together.

The kit is from Keepsake Quilting. The pattern is Larisa Key Designs In a Pickle by JWD Publishing.

 

I came across these photo storage boxes at my local Joann fabric store.

They are working pretty well for storing future quilts in.

They are a nice size and stack well, too.

Design Wall Monday

On my design wall...er...floor this week is this...

 

My son played wheelchair basketball for a few years. At the tournaments they sell t-shirts for that tournament.

I began collecting them with the plan to make quilts for his coaches - a husband/wife team. This is one of the quilts. I have all the t-shirts fused and the center panel appliqued for the other one.

 

 I was trying to decide what to use for the borders and how wide to cut them. I did decide on what is shown here.

 

The block in the lower right corner has signatures and jersey

numbers of all the team members that my son has played with.

Now I have to decide how to quilt it. That is always a challenge for me.

Since some of the designs are pretty heavy on the shirts I don't want to quilt through them. I usually do a stipple around them, maybe with some stars mixed in on this one. My machine only has a 9" throat and by the time I get to the other side

there usually isn't a lot of space and I end up doing a lot of rolling

back and forth to get around the designs.

 

 

Just as a side note, I am not good at getting pics and text placed where I want it.

Guess it doesn't matter too much. My posts don't look the same after I hit the publish button anyway.

 

To see what others are working on visit Judy L. here.

 

Before I let myself work on the quilt I had some mending to do.

Hem 2 pairs of pants and shorten the sleeves on a top. All done.

 

 

I have been trying to get rid of 'stuff'.

Stuff that I no longer use, clothes that don't fit or I don't wear anymore,

crafts I am no longer interested in finishing. I have a smallish pile started.

I have much more of that to do.

 

 

Last week when I was doing yard work I noticed a robin flying out of the

honeysuckle every time I walked by. Upon looking closer I found this.

Unfortunately, we had storms over the weekend and there are broken egg shells

on the driveway under the nest now. It looks shells for only 2 eggs,

but when I checked the nest there were no eggs in it.

Darn.

I enjoy watching the nests and seeing the babies grow.

Hopefully Mrs. Robin will lay more eggs.

 



Design Wall Monday June 16

To see what others are doing - go here: http://www.patchworktimes.com/.

On my wall is:

 

Not much done yet, but it is coming along.

The big piece in the center will be the barn.

The directions in the kit say to use the reverse side of the fabric.

I was trying to decide which side I preferred and I agree with the directions.

 

I am making this wall hanging for my brother and his wife. They are so kind and generous to us, especially my son. My brother likes to hunt and my son wants to hunt, but because of his disability and lack of hunting skills from my husband and me, he doesn't get to hunt at home. Problem is my brother and his wife live 2 hours away so it means at least one over-night, and usually 2 nights stay with them. The guys are up early, come in hungry, go out again, and are hungry again. And, repeat the next day. They are always happy to have us. I can never think of a good way to repay them. I always bring food and pay if we eat out, but that just seems like enough

One time when we were there I had a Keepsake Quilting catalog with me. My sister-in-law was looking through and commented that this quilt would look nice in their house. So - I am hoping this helps a little bit to repay them for having warmly welcomed us into their home every hunting season weekend.

 

The next pictures are Twisted Batiks. I love batiks. I really enjoy the Twister tool.

I quilted it with a spiral design and variegated thread.

I think it turned out nicely.

 

In my last post I showed something that I made to help me with choosing fabric.

I had started collecting fabric for Old Crow. I would just buy a few fat quarters if I saw something I liked when I was out at a fabric store. I was worried I would buy duplicates. I have seen similar products for sale but I was pretty sure I could make something myself.

 

 

 
And I did. From items I already had on hand.

First I determined what size I wanted the cards. Totally, random!

 

Then I punched holes in the top of the

cards for the ring to hold them all together.

 

 

Then trim the fabric slightly smaller than the card.

I wish I had left more room so I could write more info on the card.

Next time! Because I am pretty sure I will make more of these.

 

 

I used scrap booking double sided tape on a roll to attach the fabric to the cards.

 

 

 

Then I added my notes.

 

 

I made one card with fabric requirements and any other info needed.

 

 

And one for the front of the stack with the name of the pattern

and a picture of the quilt pattern.

 

And, it all fits in a zip close snack size baggie!

I really didn't plan that, but sure glad it worked out that way.